We recently launched a series of staff takeovers over on Busy Beaver’s Instagram, to give you a little taste of what a day in the life of a Busy Beaver is really like.

First up is longtime Beaver Carrie Vinarsky. Carrie is our Scheduler Shift Lead, as well as a prolific button presser. She’s also a screenprinter and aspiring tattoo artist, not to mention a button zine and Button-O-Matic artist. Read on for more on the vital role Carrie plays in making sure that orders are get out the door on time, and what it takes for a design to catch the eye of someone who sees thousands of buttons a day.

Carrie at her pressing station

Tell us about your role here at Busy Beaver— what part do you play in making order?

I do a lot of different tasks at Busy Beaver: from inventory and part orders, to fixing machines and keeping general order in the pressing room. What I do most is the actual pressing of buttons (2-3,000 a day), and scheduling what orders need done in what order, and how many people we need pressing each day and when we need them. Overall generally running the production side of Busy Beaver along with my boss Joel.

Carrie scheduling the day’s production shifts

How did you get started at Busy Beaver?

I started back when the business was based out of Christen’s [Busy Beaver owner, Christen Carter] basement. I worked very infrequently but hung in there for a few years before I was a more regular Beaver, and weaseled my way in there volunteering to do pretty much anything that needed done.

Besides making and overseeing orders, what do you do outside of work?

I am an aspiring tattoo artist and spend most my free time working on that. I also enjoy being part of the underground Chicago music scene and hanging out with my dog, cat, and husband.

Carrie’s workspace at home

You have a pretty extensive button collection. Did you collect buttons before you started at Busy Beaver? Since you see so many every day, what kind of buttons catch your eye?

My first introduction to button making was in high school when I got a hand crank machine, and had a little racket going selling custom made one of buttons out of my lunch box. David Bowie was the most popular button. I have to be exclusive with my button collection nowadays. Number one is good design, and I also like the raunchy weird ones, and buttons that use our special glow in the dark, sparkle, and cosmic finishes smartly.

What’s your favorite button from your collection?

My bizarre bootleg ET. He’s sitting cross-legged wearing a robe with a cool tea pot and reading a newspaper that has vertical type. It’s so weird! And I love ET big time.

What do you like most about working at Busy Beaver?

Number one is the owner Christen Carter, and my boss Joel Carter. They are honest to goodness wonderful, supportive people that set a laid-back, fun tone, and strong values, which include valuing their workers and supporting their [employees] artistic and life goals. I also like the simplicity of buttons, and getting to see so many people’s projects and helping spread the word by making their custom buttons.

Thanks to Carrie for sharing a little glimpse into her day! Be sure to check out our Instagram takeover for more insights on the inner-workings of the Beaver Dam.